Suddenly Alastor heard something that sounded like a fuse being lit. His eyes opened wide and he dove for Charlotte just as a shot rang out. He grabbed her up and slung her out of the way of the cannon ball, taking cover by a tree. They stayed there and waited. When the smoke cleared, out came Vox who was dressed as regal as possible.
"I apologize for spoiling the scene." The enormous rodent chuckled. "I mean it was especially moving and romantic. Truly a marvelous performance. But frankly, I wasn't particularly fond of the dynamic between the two leads."
Alastor and Charlotte slowly came out from behind the tree and the nutcracker made sure that she was at a safe distance.
"What do you want?" Alastor asked him.
"Well you see my old friend." Vox proceeded. "As I was watching you and this vision of loveliness dance, I could not help thinking what a pity it was that she had such low standards. I mean to actually be enamored with you when there are so many better options, it's a tragedy really. So I have come to correct that matter by presenting a more attractive offer."
"And I suppose you consider yourself the more attractive offer?"
"Who else, of course." He said boastfully. "But you disagree?"
Alastor smiled.
"Vox no one can have a higher opinion of you than I have, and I think you're a slimy, contemptible, sewer rat."
On the outside Vox was perfectly calm but you could see the instant fury that burned in his yellow eyes upon hearing that remark.
"Well your opinion does not matter to me." He looked at Charlotte. "I've come to hear what she thinks."
When he approached her, she took an immediate step back.
"Beautiful maiden, from the moment I saw you I have desired to make you my queen. Promise to marry me and I'll give you all the fine riches and luxuries of the world."
"Excuse me, but we've been through this before and I told you no." Charlotte said.
"Don't be so quick to refuse me, I am a king. To become my wife, it would mean that you would have everything. A castle, gold, jewels, anything you wish."
"But I don't love you."
"I warn you, there's only so much humiliation a mouse can take. Even from the woman he desires. If you will not accept my proposal, I'll have to punish you severely."
"You leave her alone!" Alastor said stepping between them. "She said no and that's the end of it!"
Vox started to laugh.
"And you think you can win her? Pathetic! You won't even be able to recognize she's there much longer."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Alastor asked.
"Tell me something Alastor, have you noticed that over time you've lost your appetite? That you haven't been very thirsty or felt much pain or cold or heat? Or that your body is becoming more stiff?"
"I...I guess." Alastor said thinking it over. "So what?"
Vox laughed again and pulled a pocket watch from his sleeve.
"It's because your state of being alive is only temporary."
"What?!"
"That's right, in the end you're going to turn right back into a regular, inanimate, nutcracker doll. No talking, no walking, nothing. And guess what?" He opened the watch. "Your time is up."
The watch made a chiming sound and Alastor's body suddenly became stiff.
"Oh no!" He called out fearfully. "Not again! I can't go out again! Not this time! Stop! Please! Stop it!"
He willed himself to move but his body refused to listen. His face then became stiff and his jaw locked, his consciousness battled the darkness creeping in for as long as he could, but it was a futile effort. He tipped over, landed with a thud, and finally shrunk and shrunk until he was back in the same state he was when Charlotte first saw him.
"Alastor!" She screamed in terror.
Vox picked him up very roughly.
"Now what shall we do with you, hmm? Dismemberment or barbecue?"
"Get away from him!" Charlotte threw a rock at Vox and caught the nutcracker that fell from his hands.
"Willful girl!" He sneered. "Give him to me!"
"No!" She declared protectively. "He's mine! I'll never let you have him!"
"I want you for my bride and while I am willing to give you anything if you accept me, I will not deny my mother her vengeance! Give me that nutcracker or you'll both suffer!"
"I don't care what you do to me! I won't let you hurt him! And I will never marry you! Never!"
"Perhaps this will change your mind!"
He directed her attention over to a nearby ledge. Looking over it, she saw the mice troops leading away Anthony, Vagatha, and Niffty who were in chains. Niffty looked terrified beyond all reason while Anthony and Vagatha were struggling and fighting to escape, only to fail due to being outnumbered.
"I'm giving you one last chance girl." Vox said. "A moment to re-think your choices. You have exactly until sunrise to come to my castle, give me the nutcracker, and accept my proposal. Do so and I'll see to it no harm comes to those three toys and all the others I have locked up in my dudgeon. If not, I'll just make them all inanimate just like Alastor and let my men chew them to bits."
"You can't do this!" Charlotte cried.
"I can and I will! There fate is entirely up to you! Either you let one friend die or all of them! Oh and just so you don't get any ideas about helping the prisoners escape!" He produced the satchel from his cape. "I'll be taking this with me!"
Charlotte tried to take the satchel back but Vox was too quick and all too soon, Charlotte was left alone with only her nutcracker. She held him securely in her arms, trying to figure out what she should do next. She knew that she couldn't let all those innocent lives be destroyed, especially after they had spent so many years suffering. But at the same time how could she just hand Alastor over to be killed and then spend the rest of her life married to a rodent.
She went back to the sleigh and looked for anything useful that had been left behind. A few apples, some berries, and the map.
"Thank goodness." She sighed. "I can fix this. Don't worry Alastor, I won't let him hurt you. I'll take you to the Sheltered City and then everything will be fine."
Luckily the Sheltered City was not much further. She reached the gates in about ten minutes.
"Please work!" She pleaded desperately. "Oh please, oh please work!"
She approached the gates and shook them.
"Hello!" She called. "Is anyone there?! Please let me in! It's important!"
A guard quickly answered her call.
"May I help you?" He asked.
"Yes! I have to speak with Princess Mimzy immediately! It's a matter of life and death!"
"How do I know that you are not a spy of the mouse king?"
"Oh please, please believe me!" She begged. "If you don't let me in, I don't...I don't know what else I'm going to do! She's my only hope!"
The guard looked at her rather skeptically, but something about her eyes made him feel compassion, so he opened the gates and arranged for her to meet the king and the princess. The Sheltered was one that had been built inside a metal dome and nearly every house and building was made of gears or some form of metal. A new castle for the monarchy had been built, one of iron and bronze, and it was very secured with catapults, cannons, and specially trained guards. They were certainly not taking any chances this time. Not with what had happened in their former kingdom.
"Your highness, this young woman requests to speak with your daughter." The guard announced when they entered the throne room. "She claims that it's urgent."
The king turned to his daughter and she nodded, giving her permission to hear Charlotte out.
"Send her in." The king said.
Charlotte slowly walked toward the two thrones and then stopped to curtsy for them. When looked up from the floor, she saw the Mimzy was indeed as beautiful as her godmother had said in her story. A remarkable appearance that was like gold, silk, amber, and all the precious treasures of the world. She almost felt jealous.
"What's your name girl?" The king asked.
"My name is Charlotte." She answered.
"And why are you here? What business do you have with my daughter?"
"Your highness, I'm terribly sorry to come here without an invitation but I need the princess's help."
"My help?" Mimzy said. "With what?"
"Do you recall a boy named Alastor? He was the one who broke the spell that the mouse queen cast on you eight years ago?"
"Yes I do remember him. We were to be married someday but he disappeared the day the curse was broken. I haven't seen him since."
"Well I've found him and I've brought him here for you to honor your promise of marriage."
"Really?" She said sounding excited. "How wonderful! He was a good-looking boy but now that he's a man, he must be so very handsome. Where is he?"
"He's here." Charlotte said holding up the nutcracker doll.
"I beg your pardon, but is this some kind of joke?"
"I'm afraid not. You see, before the mouse queen died she put a curse on Alastor. He was turned into this nutcracker doll."
"You can't be serious." The king said.
"I'm telling the truth, I promise. Just look at him."
Charlotte handed the nutcracker to the king and he studied it carefully, taking note of familiar details. Such as the fine coat and trousers he remembered the boy wearing despite it being so very long ago.
"Heavens above! It is him!" The king declared in shock.
Mimzy was aghast.
"What is this girl saying Father? This doll can't be my husband to be!"
"But he is." The king confirmed. "This is the magician's nephew, the one I promised your hand to years ago."
"No! I won't marry a homely doll!" She refused.
"Oh but princess, you shouldn't feel that way." Charlotte spoke up. "He saved you long ago and now he's doing everything he can to save your kingdom. You must marry him, then he'll change back and the mouse king will lose his power."
"Where did you hear such nonsense?!" She said feeling insulted. "Me, marrying an ugly wooden nutcracker to save the kingdom. The very idea!"
"But it's true! And he's not ugly!" Charlotte persisted. "He's honest and selfless and courageous and-"
"Well if you feel that way, why don't you marry him?" Mimzy took the nutcracker from her father. "Look he's just a piece of wood! If you want him, take him! I'm way too pretty to marry that!"
She threw the nutcracker on to the floor. Charlotte instantly ran to take him back into her arms.
"How could you? After all he did for you! After all he lost because he helped you! How could you be so cruel?! A beautiful princess indeed, you're just a vain and ungrateful brat!" Charlotte said, her voice full of contempt.
"How dare you speak to me that way!" She raved.
"You forget your place young lady!" The king said.
"And you forget yours!" She argued. "You're a king, yet you abandoned your people in their time of need and chose to hide here like a coward! Do you not realize what damage has been done? How much your people need you? Don't you care?"
The king was now full of anger over Charlotte's bold yet true words.
"Get out of here you impertinent wench! Leave this city and never return or you'll rue the day you ever laid eyes on me!"
"And take that hideous nutcracker with you!" Mimzy added.
The guard quickly escorted her out of the throne room and back to the front gates before she made the two royals angrier.
"Please! You must know that this is wrong!" Charlotte said to him. "Even if Mimzy still won't marry Alastor, it isn't right of them to just ignore what's happened to all these people. Isn't there anything you can do?"
"I am truly sorry Miss." He told her sympathetically. "But no one here can help you. They're either too afraid or incapable of battling the mouse king's forces. I know I am a coward and that I serve a coward, but there is nothing I can do. Nothing at all."
Tears began to well into Charlotte's eyes.
"There is one person who might be of help." The guard said. "They call her the veiled woman, and they say that she is very wise about the ways of spells and curses."
"Where can I find her?"
He pointed to a dirt path that was behind a few trees.
"It should only take you five minutes to get there." He said. "Good luck to you young Miss, I pray that all will be well."
"Thank you." Charlotte said.
She hurried down that path, more desperate than ever to save her nutcracker and her other friends
